Clothes drier



Feb. 28, 1956 l N. E. FRI-:Y

CLOTHES DRIER Filed April ze, 1952 Magg.

/27 Ver? or': /Vor'man E Frey, v

uw( I 'gd y 9a7/As Wz-OP/Qeggs CLOTHES DRIER Norman E. Frey, Albany, N Y.

Application April 29, 1952, Serial No. 284,939

4 Claims. (Cl. 211-104) This invention relates to wall racks, having particular reference to a novel type of rack or frame, for drying or holding clothes or the like, and the provision of such a device is a principal object of the invention.

Generally it is an object of the invention to provide such a device that is simple, yet sturdy and durable of construction, economic of manufacture, readily assembled and easy to operate, and which will function with relative freedom from wear and tear and other mechanical diiilculties.

More specifically, itis an object of the invention to provide such a device having a supporting member adapted to be secured to a wall surface, a frame for supporting a plurality of articles, means adapted pivotally to be secured to the member at one endand to the frame at the other end, in order to suspend the frame when not in use in a depending, substantially vertical, out of the way position adjacent the wall surface, and in a braced position substantially normal to the wall surface when in use, with the inner end of the frame freely movable toward and away from the wall surface, yet adapted to abut the same at a predetermined angular position, and flexible control means adapted to be connected to the supporting member and to the inner end of the frame and further adapted freely and swingably to support the frame in spaced-apart relation from the supporting member, the control means extending toward the forward end ofthe frame and being movable reciprocably of its longitudinal axis, in order to raise and lower the inner end of the frame, to select its angular abutting position against the wall surface. v

Other specic objects of the invention are to provide a C-shaped bracket in which the pivotal securing means are connected thereto, opposite ends of the flexible control means also being connected thereto, and the vother ends of the pivotal securing means and the control means being cooperatively connected to an intermediate portion of the frame; in which the frame comprises a singlelrigid central 'member and a crosspiece secured to the opposite ends thereof, substantially perpendicular to and substantially parallel with respect toV each other; in which the central member is tubular and through which the exible control means is threaded; in which the ilexible control means comprises a looped strand, such as a rope, or plastic cord, the free ends of which are secured adjacent the ends of the supporting member and pass along one of the crosspieces adjacent the supporting member, the rigid central member being tubular, and the looped portion of the strand or rope passing coaxially therethrough toward an opening near its opposite end, with a handle member secured to the looped portion; in which the crosspieces have threaded therebetween a flexible strand in substantially parallel disposed arrangement; and, in which vthe one crosspiece is provided with a relatively soft bumper or cushioning element adapted to abut a Wall surface, and the other crosspiece has a hook thereon to hold the handle member, connected to the -llexible control memnited States Pateiit ICC ber, when the latter is drawn taught, and the device is lowered to an inoperative position adjacent the wall surface.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the -following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred form of the invention illustrating the device opened to an operative position; p

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, somewhat enlarged, taken along vthe lines 2-2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, somewhat enlarged, taken along the lines 3 3 of Fig.. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view diagrammatically illustrating the opening of the device to an'operative position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view illustrating the device lowered to an inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the flexible control means and its position with respect to the frame when the latter is opened to an operative position; j

Fig. 7 is a side elevation view showing the mannerin which the line or cord is threaded in theframe and the bumper element attached thereto; v

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through the tubular portion of the frame showing the handle attached to the flexible control means;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of a detail showing the manner in which the pivotal connecting means is secured to the supporting bracket; and

Fig. l1 is a plan view of Fig. 10.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is illustrated generally at 12 a preferred form of the invention and this constitutes a C-shaped wall bracket 13 having holes therein as indicated at 14 whereby the same can be aiiixed to a Wall a predetermined distance above the floor. The C-shaped bracket has angularly disposed outstanding arms 15 to which are secured converging members or struts 16. These struts are pivotally mounted at 17 to the C-shaped angle bracket 13 at the outstanding portions 1S. At their other ends these struts 16 are secured in a pivotal manner as at 18 to the frame or rack member. The rack is very simple in construction. It comprises a frame for supporting a plurality of articles and is composed of a single central tubular member at 19 which has a crosshead 2t) at one end adjacent the wall and another crosshead 21 at its opposite end, thereby forming an I-shaped structure included in the frame. These are secured to the tubular member 19 in any suitable manner as by welding.

Threaded or laced through the crossheads 20 and 21 are two cords or plastic ropes 22 and 23 on opposite sides of the tubular member 19.

Also secured to the supporting bracket 13, preferably at the outstanding portions 15, is a exible control means or strand, such as a rope or plastic line 24 which is looped, and the looped portion passes -through holes in the crosshead 20. This crosshead may be an angle-*iron in construction and the looped ends 24, after passing through these holes pass along the angle iron crosshead as shown at 25 in dotted line position, and then Patented Feb. 28, 19.56 y

in'tlieir doubled -vor looped condition pass into the rigid tubular member 19 as indicated in dotted lines at 26. A single strand indicated by dotted lines at 27 is fastened to the looped portion 26 and this passes through a hole indicated 'generality at 2?'in the bottomof the tubular portion 19 (see Fig. S). Attached to the end of the single strand 27 is a handle Z8.

At the'op'posite ends of the crosspiece 2i) 'are two projections which function as bumper elements 29 and these 'preferably are made 'of rubber or some suitable soft material that willnot scratch a wall surface.

At the kforward end of the frame the crosshead 21 is provided with a hook 30 for thercord 27 and handle 2b. It is within the contemplation of the invention to place such a hook or other equivalent structure elsewhere on the frame in order to enablethe latter tobe adjusted in a manner 'such that it will `assume a substantially horizontal position with respect to said door.

In operation the device, when not in use, is suspended in lowered position as seen in Fig. `5. `When it is desired to raise the device to operative position the crosshead 21 is grasped by one hand of the user and swung to a lposition such as that indicated in Fig. 4. In the meantime, the handle 28 is unlatched or unhooked vfrom the hook member V30 andit will be seen that the 'rear end of the device adjacent Vthe wall can be permitted to rise or fall. The handle member-is permitted to become seated in the opening 27 of the tube`19 when the'best and most-suitable angular position has been determined and the bumper elements l29 which may be swung to the right vor left, or completely out of position as indicated in Fig. l9, come to rest against the wall.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and eiciently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween,

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a device of the character described, the improvement comprising a frame supporting member adapted to be secured to a vertical supporting surface; a frame, including an `I-shaped structure adapted to support articles; means, including a strut pivotally secured to said member at one end, and to said struct-.ire at the other end, to suspend the frame when .not in use .in a depending, vertical, out of the way position adjacent said wall surface, and in .a braced position substantially normal to said-surface when in use,but with the inner end of said frame freely movable toward and away `from said surface, yet adapted to abut the same at a pre-determined angular position below said supporting member when in use and when out of use; and a cord connecting said member and the inner and outer ends of said structure and adapted freely and swingably to support said entire frame in spaced-apart relation from said supporting member, said cord extending toward the forward end of said frame and being movable substantially reciprocably of its longitudinal axis, whereby 'to raise and lower the inner end of said frame and to select its angular abutting position against said surface; said structure comprising a rigid central member, and a crosspiece secured to opposite ends thereof, substantially perpendicular thereto and substantially parallel with rcspect to each other; said central member being tubular, and through which said cord is threaded.

2. In a device of -the character described, the improvemcnt comprising a frame supporting member 'adapted to be secured to a vertical supporting surface;

a frame, including an I-shaped structure adapted to support articles; means, including a strut pivotally secured to said member at one end, and to said structure at the other end, to suspend the frame when not in use in a depending, vertical, out of the way position adjacent said wall surface, and in a braced position substantially normal to said surface when in use, but with the inner end et' said frame freely movable toward and away from said surface, yet adapted to abut the same at a predetermined angular position below said supporting member when in use and when out of use; and a cord connecting said member and the inner and outer ends of said structure and adapted freely and swingably to support said frame in spaced-apart relation from said supporting member, said cord extending toward the forward end of said structure and being movable substantially reciprocably of its longitudinal axis, whereby to raise and lower the inner end of said frame Vand to select its angular abutting position against said surface; said structure comprising a rigid central member, and a crosspiece secured to opposite ends thereof, substantially perpendicular thereto and substantially parallel with respect to each other; said cord consisting of a looped strand, the free ends of which are secured to the ends of said supporting member, and pass along one of said crosspieces adjacent said member', and said rigid central member being tubular, said looped portion of said strand passing coaxially therethrough toward an opening near its opposite end, and a handle portion being secured to said looped portion.

3. `In a device of the character described, the improvement comprising a frame supporting member adapted to besecured to a vertical supporting surface; aY frame, inclriding an I-shaped structure adapted to support articles; means, .including a strut pivotally rsecured to said member'at .one end, and to said structure at the other end, to suspend the frame when not in use in a depending, vertical, out of the way postion adjacent said wall surface, and in a braced position substantially normal to said surface when in use, but with the inner end of said frame freely movably toward and away from said surface, yet adapted to abut the same at a pre-determined angular position vbelow said supporting member when in use and when out of use; and a cord connecting said member and inner and outer ends of said structure and adapted freely and swingably to support said frame in spaced-apart relation from said supporting member, said cord extending toward the forward endof said frame and beingreciprocably movable lengthwise ofsaid frame, wherebyto raise and lower the inner end .of said frame and toselect its angular abutting position against said suface; said structure .comprising a single central rigid tubular member; and inner crosspiece and an outer crosspiece .on `said tubular member; a flexible strand laced between said crosspieces in substantially parallel disposed arrangement; said vinner crosspiece being provided with a relatively soft bumper and cushioning element to abut `said wall surface.

v4. Ina device of the character described, the improvement comprising a frame supporting member adapted to..be secured to a vertical supporting surface; a frame, including an I-shaped structure adapted to support articles;Y means, including a strut pivotally secured to said member at one end, and to said frame at the Vother end, to suspend the frame when not in use in a depending, vertical, out of the way position adjacent said wall surface, and in a braced position substantially normal to said surface when in use, but with the inner end of said frame freely movable toward and away fromsaid surface, yet adapted to vabut thesame at a Vpre-determined angular position below'said supporting member when in use and wh'enout of use; and a cord connecting said member and the-inner and outer ends of said structure1and--adapted freely and swingably to support said entire frame in spaced-apart relation from said supporting member, said cord extending toward the forward end of said structure and being reciprocably movable substantially of its longitudinal axis, whereby to raise and lower the inner end of said frame and to select its angular abutting position against said surface; said frame comprising a single rigid central member; an inner crosspiece and an outer crosspiece on said central member; a flexible strand laced between said crosspieces in substantially parallel disposed arrangement; said central member adjacent said outer crosspiece being provided with a hook member adapted to hold said cord in position when said inner crosskpiece is drawn against said supporting member and said frame is in vertical, inoperative position.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,809 Studley Aug. 27, 1889 457,360 Mason Aug. 11, 1891 611,503 Parker Sept. 27, 1898 704,561 Moore July 15, 1902 1,897,400 Scofield Feb. 14, 1933 2,468,891 Neiser May 3, 1949 2,577,397 Bailey Dec. 4, 1951 

